U.S. patent application number 12/577804 was filed with the patent office on 2010-04-29 for floor made out of composite material for transport vehicle and process for manufacturing process such a floor.
This patent application is currently assigned to AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SOCIETE PAR ACTIONS SIMPLIFIEE). Invention is credited to Jean-Christophe LATAILLADE, Daniel ZORZETTO.
Application Number | 20100102169 12/577804 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40785462 |
Filed Date | 2010-04-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100102169 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ZORZETTO; Daniel ; et
al. |
April 29, 2010 |
FLOOR MADE OUT OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL FOR TRANSPORT VEHICLE AND
PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING PROCESS SUCH A FLOOR
Abstract
The invention concerns a floor for a transport vehicle that can
be attached to a vertical frame structure (30) of said vehicle and
that includes: a horizontal boxed structure (1) having a plurality
of boxes (13) positioned side by side to form a continuous, uniform
upper surface (14) and lower surface (15), with the upper surface
(14) covered with an upper skin (11) and the lower surface covered
with a lower skin (12) and means of attachment (20) to attach the
boxed structure (10) laterally to the frame structure (30). The
invention also concerns a process for manufacturing this floor.
Inventors: |
ZORZETTO; Daniel; (Cologne,
FR) ; LATAILLADE; Jean-Christophe; (Toulouse,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Perman & Green, LLP
99 Hawley Lane
Stratford
CT
06614
US
|
Assignee: |
AIRBUS OPERATIONS (SOCIETE PAR
ACTIONS SIMPLIFIEE)
Toulouse
FR
|
Family ID: |
40785462 |
Appl. No.: |
12/577804 |
Filed: |
October 13, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
244/119 ;
29/897.2; 296/193.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B64C 1/18 20130101; Y10T
29/49622 20150115; Y10T 428/24744 20150115; B61D 17/10 20130101;
B62D 25/2054 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
244/119 ;
29/897.2; 296/193.07 |
International
Class: |
B64C 1/20 20060101
B64C001/20; B21D 53/92 20060101 B21D053/92 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 16, 2008 |
FR |
08 57048 |
Claims
1. A floor for a transport vehicle that can be attached to a
vertical frame structure of a vehicle, comprising: a boxed
horizontal structure including a plurality of boxes made of
composite materials positioned side by side forming a continuous,
uniform upper surface and lower surface, with the upper surface
covered with an upper skin and the lower surface covered with a
lower skin, and means of attachment to attach the boxed structure
laterally to the frame structure.
2. The floor in claim 1, wherein the means of attachment include a
longitudinal beam for the boxed structure and fittings connecting
the beam to the frame structure.
3. The floor in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal beam has a
C-shaped profile.
4. The floor in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal beam is made of a
composite material.
5. The floor in claim 2, wherein the fittings provide pivot
connections between the boxed structure and the frame
structure.
6. The floor in claim 2, wherein the fittings are made of a
composite material.
7. The floor in claim 2, wherein the means of attachment include
vertical support rods.
8. A process for manufacturing a transport vehicle according to
claim 1, wherein it includes the following operations:
manufacturing boxes from composite materials, assembling the boxes
side by side to form at least one continuous, uniform upper
surface. applying an upper skin and a lower skin made of composite
materials to the boxes assembled in this way, connecting the boxes
and the upper and lower skins to form a boxed structure, installing
the boxed structure in at least one C-shaped longitudinal beam,
attaching longitudinal beams to the vertical frame structure of the
vehicle.
9. An aircraft comprising the floor in claim 1.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The invention concerns a floor made out of composite
material for a transport vehicle, particularly an aircraft. It also
concerns a process for manufacturing such a floor.
[0002] The invention has applications in the field of passenger or
freight transportation, such as trains, heavy trucks and aircraft.
It has applications particularly in the field of aeronautics, where
aeronautical engineers are constantly trying to reduce the total
weight of the vehicle.
STATE OF THE ART
[0003] In the field of passenger or freight transportation,
particularly in the field of aeronautics, vehicle manufacturers are
trying to reduce the weight of the vehicles, while making them
highly resistant. To do so, they are trying to replace the metal
structure of the vehicles, at least in part, with a light or
lighter structure.
[0004] Particularly in the field of aeronautics, the aircraft
structure is generally made from metal panels, assembled with
fastening systems that are also metal. In particular, the floors of
the aircraft are made of a horizontal metal structure attached to a
vertical frame structure that is also metal. The horizontal
structure is generally composed of metal spars and cross beams,
made of aluminum or other alloys, for example. This horizontal
structure is attached to the metal frames placed on either side of
the aircraft fuselage that comprise the frame structure of the
aircraft.
[0005] In the case of passenger transportation, the horizontal
structure also includes rails for the seats or other cabin
fixtures. The rails are metal, and the passenger seats and most
cabin fixtures are attached to them, specifically for transporting
freight or passengers, like galleys, toilets, partitions, etc.
These rails are perpendicular to the cross beams. They either
placed on the cross beams, or across them. In aircraft used to
transport passengers, at least two rails are mounted in the floor,
spaced apart and running longitudinally from the front of the
aircraft to the back. Chassis, each of which has two or more seats,
are attached to these rails to form a bay of armchairs. Other
elements of the cabin fixtures are attached to these same
rails.
[0006] The horizontal structure made in this way is covered with
floor panels placed on the rails. In effect, the unit made up of
the rails and cross beams is an approximately plane but not uniform
surface. Floor panels are therefore necessary to make this surface
continuous and uniform, in order to ensure the safety of the
passengers and crew when they move around onboard the aircraft.
[0007] Such floors are relatively cumbersome due to the fact that
the different elements of which they are composed are superimposed
on top of one another. Also, with such floors, the position of the
rails is not very flexible: the rails are placed in the floor and
can no longer be moved without totally changing the floor.
[0008] Moreover, to best preserve the volume of the passenger cabin
and that of the cargo compartment, the different wires in the
aircraft (electric cables, hydraulic hoses, air conditioning pipes
and other means of transferring energy) are installed in the
interior of the cross beams. In other words, a large part, or even
all of the electric wiring runs inside the cross beams in the floor
of the aircraft to limit the space necessary for them to go
through. Now, the fact that this wiring is placed inside the cross
beams makes it hard to install, on one hand, and delicate to
replace, on the other. Indeed, in a traditional metal structure, to
replace the wiring it is necessary to take the floor apart, at
least partly, to remove the existing wiring and then replace it
with the new, which must be passed through different cross
beams.
[0009] In general, aircraft with metal structures have the
disadvantage of being heavy. To reduce the structural weight of the
aircraft, aeronautics manufacturers are trying to replace certain
metal elements with elements made of composite material. Indeed,
since composite materials have the advantage of being relatively
light compared to metal, the total weight of an aircraft with a
composite structure is significantly lighter than that of an
aircraft with a metal structure.
[0010] It is therefore conceivable to replace the current metal
floors with floors made of composite materials with the same
structure. However, even if such floors made it possible to save
weight, they would not make it possible to fix the disadvantages of
the current floors described above (cumbersome, inflexible rail
position, hard to install and replace wiring).
DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0011] The goal of the invention is to remedy the disadvantages of
the techniques just described by proposing a floor made, at least
partly, of composite materials. To do so, the floor in the
invention has a boxed structure, made out of composite materials.
This boxed structure is composed of a combination of boxes made of
composite materials placed side by side to form a continuous
uniform surface. This boxed structure is mounted on a beam that is
itself attached to the aircraft frame structure.
[0012] More specifically, the invention concerns a floor for a
transport vehicle that can be attached to a vertical frame
structure of said vehicle, characterized by the fact that it
includes: [0013] a boxed horizontal structure having a plurality of
boxes positioned side by side, forming a continuous, uniform upper
and lower surface, with the upper surface covered with an upper
skin and the lower surface covered with a lower skin and [0014]
means of attaching the boxed structure laterally to the frame
structure.
[0015] The floor in the invention can include one or more of the
following characteristics: [0016] the boxed structure is made of
composite material. [0017] the means of attachment include a
longitudinal beam to hold the boxed structure and beam attachment
brackets on the frame structure, [0018] the longitudinal beam has a
C profile, [0019] the longitudinal beam is made of a composite
material, [0020] the brackets provide pivot connections between the
boxed structure and the frame structure, [0021] the brackets are
made of a composite material, [0022] the means of attachment
include vertical support rods.
[0023] The invention also concerns a process for manufacturing such
a floor. This process is characterized by the fact that it includes
the following operations: [0024] fabricating boxes made of
composite materials, [0025] assembling the boxes side by side to
form at least one continuous, uniform upper surface, [0026]
applying an upper skin and a lower skin made of composite material
to the boxes assembled in this way, [0027] joining the boxes and
the upper and lower skins to form a boxed structure, [0028]
installing the boxed structure in at least one longitudinal beam
with a C profile, [0029] attaching longitudinal beams on the
vertical frame structure of the vehicle.
[0030] The invention also concerns an aircraft having a floor like
the one described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a general view of a floor made of composite
material according to the invention.
[0032] FIGS. 2A and 2B show front views, exploded sections and
cross sections of the floor in FIG. 1.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a floor attached to an
aircraft fuselage frame structure.
[0034] FIG. 4 shows a profile view of the floor in the invention
mounted on the aircraft fuselage frame structure.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows the means of attaching the boxed structure to
the aircraft frame structure.
[0036] FIG. 6 shows an example of a rail installed in the floor,
according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the horizontal boxed
structure of a floor made of composite material in the invention.
This floor structure 10 has an upper skin 11 and a lower skin 12.
Between the lower skin 12 and the upper 11 skin, it has a plurality
of boxes 13 positioned side by side.
[0038] FIGS. 2A and 2B show an example of the boxed structure in
the invention. FIG. 26 shows a front view of the boxed structure
10. FIG. 2A shows the boxed structure 10 made from several boxes 13
positioned side by side. One box is a structural element whose
cross section has completely closed working contours. Each box 13
consists of a basic tube, made of composite material, with a square
or rectangular cross section, placed horizontally, parallel to the
surface of the floor. Each box is thus oriented so that its length
is in the horizontal direction.
[0039] Each box made of composite material can be made from laps of
dry fibers, pre-coated with a thermosetting resin. The precoated
fiber laps are placed in a square or rectangular mold. They are
then heated, which makes the resin polymerize so the fiber
reinforcement can take the shape of the mold. After it cools, the
mold is removed, producing a box 13 with a square or rectangular
cross section, depending on the shape of the mold.
[0040] A plurality of boxes, all identical, is made in this
way.
[0041] The boxes can be one-piece. In this case, each box has a
predetermined width and length corresponding to the width of the
floor. In other words, the length of the box corresponds
approximately to the transverse dimension of the aircraft
fuselage.
[0042] The boxes can also have several pieces. If so, two or more
boxes are placed in a row, with beams providing a mechanical link
between each group of boxes,
[0043] The plurality of identical boxes made in this way is placed
side by side and then assembled. Assembling of the boxes 13 in this
way, as shown in FIG. 2B, forms an element with plane surfaces.
Specifically, it forms an upper plane surface 14 and a lower
surface 15, also plane. These upper 14 and lower 15 surfaces are
continuous and uniform. In other words, these surfaces 14 and 15
for mounting the boxes 13 have no irregularities or protrusions,
either on the boxes or where two boxes meet. As will be seen below,
the fact that the upper surface 14 is continuous and uniform makes
it possible to place the rails of the seats at any point on the
surface, which provides great flexibility in arranging the
cabin.
[0044] The boxes 13 mounted in this way form transverse partitions
16, also called transverse warps, where they meet.
[0045] To join the boxes 13 to one another, an upper skin 11 and a
lower skin 12 are placed, respectively, on the upper surface 14 and
lower surface 15 of the box assembly. The transverse warps 16 then
connect the upper skin 11 and the lower skin 12.
[0046] The upper skin 11 reinforces the continuity and uniformity
of the upper surface 14. Along with the lower skin 12, it attaches
different boxes 13 together and makes it possible to install rails
for the seats or for the cabin arrangement. Preferably, the lower
and upper skins are each made of one piece so that the boxed
structure is covered on each face with a single skin.
[0047] The upper skin 11 and the lower skin 12, like the partitions
between the boxes, can have thicknesses with different dimensions
depending mainly on the type of aircraft and the type of transport
planned for the aircraft Similarly, the cross section of the boxes
13 can be square or rectangular, with different dimensions
depending on the total thickness of the floor. In the invention,
the formation of the boxed structure is independent of the frame
structure; in other words, the number of boxes and the dimensions
of those boxes are independent of the frame structure and
particularly the number of frames forming said frame structure. The
number of warps in the boxed structure does not therefore correlate
with the number of frames.
[0048] The boxes 13, along with the upper skin 11 and the lower 12
skin, form the boxed structure 10 of the floor in the invention.
The continuity of the upper skin 11 of the boxed structure makes it
possible to dispense with the presence of floor panels. It also
offers the possibility of attaching the rails at all points on the
surface. And it allows the rails to be installed after manufacture,
even after the floor is installed in the fuselage. It is therefore
possible to install the rails at places chosen and defined later,
after the floor is manufactured.
[0049] As explained before, the horizontal boxed structure 10 of
the floor 1 in the invention can be made by a process using
composite materials, from laps of precoated dry fibers. It can also
be made by a vacuum injection process called the resin transfer
molding process or by a liquid resin process, an infusion process
or any other known process for making elements out of composite
materials.
[0050] The tubes forming the boxes can be obtained by draping laps
of fibers, by winding, by pultrusion or by any other known process
for placing fibers in molds.
[0051] The upper skin 11 and the lower skin 12 are draped on the
box assembly either manually or by means of an automatic
machine.
[0052] In one embodiment of the invention, the boxes are
manufactured separately and then put together, along with the lower
and upper skins, by gluing. This assembly of the boxes and skins
can also be done by simultaneous polymerization of all parts. In
this case, the different boxes are polymerized with one another,
and the lower and upper skins are polymerized on the box
assembly.
[0053] To make an aircraft floor, the boxed structure made in this
way must be attached to the aircraft fuselage frame structure. This
frame structure can be metal or made of a composite material.
Whatever the frame structure, the boxed structure is attached
laterally to said frame structure, thus forming the floor of the
aircraft.
[0054] This attachment is done using means of attachment that
include at least one longitudinal beam of the boxed structure and
fittings for connecting the beam to the frame structure. A
schematic example of these means of attachment is shown in FIG. 3.
As can be seen in FIG. 3, the boxed structure 10 is nested in a
longitudinal beam 21, itself attached to the frame structure 30 of
the fuselage by fittings 22.
[0055] FIG. 4 shows a more detailed example of the floor 1 in the
invention. As can be seen in this figure, the longitudinal beam 21
has a C-shaped profile. This beam 21 or C profile is nested around
a lateral edge of the boxed structure 10, forming a closure of said
structure. This beam 21 can be metal, made from a spun profile,
folded sheet metal, etc. or composite material, according to one of
the composite processes cited above.
[0056] The beam 21 is attached to the fuselage frame structure 30
by means of a plurality of connecting fittings 22. Preferably a
connecting fitting 22 is installed between each frame 31 of the
frame structure 30 and the beam 22. However, the number of fittings
can be independent of the number of frames. Each fitting 22
constitutes a mechanical link between the boxed structure 10 and
the aircraft fuselage. The example in FIG. 4 shows a space 32 in
the frame structure 30 where the frames 31 are cut to the size of
the beam 21. This space 32 is a port of entry area for passengers.
Other spaces 32 can be installed in the fuselage frame structure
30, for example, for emergency doors in the case of passenger
transport or bay doors in the case of freight transport.
[0057] The example in FIG. 4 shows a single longitudinal beam. It
is understood that at least one second beam is installed on the
opposite edge of the floor 1, in order to attach the boxed
structure at least to both lateral sides of the fuselage.
[0058] The example in FIG. 4 shows an example of a seat rail on the
boxed structure 10. In this example, rails 40 for attaching seats
are mounted on a floor covering 41, such as carpet, then attached
in the boxed structure 10. It is understood that the rails can be
installed on the floor after attaching the boxed structure in the
aircraft. In this way, the attachment rails 40 can be installed at
particular places, specific to each aircraft. It is understood, of
course, that the attachment rails 40 can also be mounted on the
Moor before it is installed in the aircraft, for example, for the
purpose of mass production. It is also understood that these
attachment rails 40 can be removed and then remounted, for example,
to be moved, based on the specific needs of the aircraft.
[0059] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the floor in the invention,
attached to the aircraft frame structure. This FIG. 5 shows, in
particular, the connecting fittings 22 between the floor 1 and the
frames 31 of the frame structure 30. It is understood that these
fittings 22 form pivot connections with the frames 31 of the
fuselage. These pivot connections make it possible to limit the
bending moment in the frame structure 30 and the torque in the beam
21. As for the beam 21, the fittings 22 can be made out of metal or
composite material; for example, metal fittings can be used when
the beam 21 is metal, and fittings 22 made of composite material
when the beam 21 is made of composite.
[0060] Depending on how they are made, the fittings 22 can be
screwed, riveted, glued or attached by any other process of
attachment, to the beam 21 and the frames 31.
[0061] FIG. 5 also shows that the means of attaching the boxed
structure 10 to the frame structure 30 can also include supporting
rods 23, placed under the boxed structure. These supporting rods 23
reinforce the attachment of the boxed structure. They make it
possible to limit the bending torque in the boxed structure in
order to provide support for said boxed structure.
[0062] The means of attachment, as they were just described, have
the advantage of optimizing the boxed structure independently of
the position of the frames in the frame structure.
[0063] FIG. 6 shows an example of installation of a rail 40 for
attaching seats or arranging the cabin, in the floor 1 of the
invention. As explained earlier, the attachment rail 40 is mounted
on the boxed structure of the floor 1. The carpet 41, or other
floor covering, is placed on both sides of the rail so as to cover
the base 43 of said rail while leaving the slide 44 of the rail on
the surface. Thus, the slide 44 remains easily accessible to hook
on a seat or other cabin equipment, while the base 43 is hidden to
make it easier for the passengers to move about. A rail cover 42
can then be placed above the rail 40 unit, particularly at places
where there is neither a seat nor any cabin equipment, for these
same reasons of safe passenger movement.
[0064] As shown in FIG. 6, screw-holder plates 45 can be inserted
in the floor 1 to improve the attachment of the rails 40. These
screw-holder plates 45 are T-shaped, and the top part 45a of the T
is placed between the assembly of boxes and the upper skin 11, and
the leg 45b of the T is inserted inside the boxes. The T of the
screw-holder plate can have a foot 45c to improve the hold of the
plate inside the box assembly. These screw-holder plates have the
job of reinforcing the area of the boxed structure to which the
rail 40 is attached. As shown in FIG. 6, the rail 40 is attached in
the box structure, facing a screw-holder plate. The screw-holder
plates are installed in the floor through orifices made in the
lower skin 12 of the floor.
[0065] This screw-holder plate 45 can be self-stiffening in order
to further improve the flexural hold of the rails.
[0066] The aircraft floor, as just described, offers savings in
weight of around 10% to 20% compared to a traditional metal-design
floor. It offers savings in thickness on the height of the rails,
i.e., from 80 to 100 mm. This boxed-structure floor has the
advantage of having good rigidity while being lower than a
traditional metal floor. It thus makes it possible to gain space in
the cabin or bay of the aircraft.
[0067] In addition, since the lower surface of this floor is
continuous and uniform, the wiring system is easy to install under
the floor. Due to the space gained from the height of the floor, it
is not necessary for this system of wires to run into the floor
thickness, which makes it simple to install and easy to replace the
different wires.
* * * * *